Method of making flat shaped knitted blanks



Oct. 31, 1939. G. BITZER 2,178,319

METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9Sheets-Sheet l a 0 Z0 a W W.

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METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9 SheetsSheet 2 5 F Fl E- E rummml IN V E TOR.

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METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR:

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cs. BITZER METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2,1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR:

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METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9Shets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNE Oct. 31, 1939. BITZER 2,178,319

. METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9Sheets-Sheet 6 FlG-"LEL Fi -i5- .INVENTOR: qufizozwzzzer,

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METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9Sheets-Sheet 7 BY a902,

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G. BITZER 2,178,319

METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANK-9:

Filed April 2, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Oct. 31, 1939.

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7 METHOD OF MAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLANKS Filed April 2, 1937 9Sheets-Sheet 9 51 2 b Fl. -Elz 92 INVENTOR- A TTORNEY.

Patented on. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,178,319 METHOD OFMAKING FLAT SHAPED KNITTED BLAN KS Gottlob Bitzer, Lincoln Park, Pa.,assignor to Textile Machine Works,

notation of Pennsylvania Wyomissing, Pa., a cor- Application April 2,1937, Serial No. 134,495

' 12 Claims.

The present invention comprises a new method I of making fiat stockingblanks.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve theappearance of the finished stockcentral or instep portion of the blankwhich forms the most noticeable portion of the stocking foot.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method wherebyboth leg and foot portions of a fiat blank for a full fashioned stockingmay be knitted on the same needle. section.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method adapted tominimize the line between the leg portion and the foot portion of a fiatstocking blank having heel tabs by knitting both portions as near as maybe of yarn from the same spool, bobbin or package.

In carrying out my invention, a fiat blank for the leg, instep and heelportions of the stocking are knitted with the usual narrowing forfashion? ing purposes. Preferably, such blank is provided with a welthaving the ornamental drop stitch or picot topedge. The heel portion ofthe blank is finished off with heel tabs in the usual manner. Themachine for performing the steps above mentioned requires therefore thefull complement of needles usually provided in legger machines, andpreferably also a lock stitch or lace bar also common on such machines.In accordance with my invention, after the instep ravel courses and theheel tabs have been .knitted, the leg portion of the blank is removedfrom the needle section, the heel tabs spread and the blank' placed onthe points of a topping machine from which it is then transferred to thepoints of a transfer bar, and returned to the needle section on which itwasknitted, care being .taken that each wale of the instep portion isreturned to" the needle on which it was formed. The foot section of theblank is then knitted with narrowing for fashioning purposes. For thispurpose,'the narrowing combs of the machine must haveas many narrowingpoints. as are ordinarily furnished on footers. Preferably, also thenarrowing points at' each end of each needle section are arranged in twosections as requiredfor making the diamond point toe.

When knitting by the single thread method, the same thread'is used forknitting the foot as for knitting the leg portion of the blank, becausethe blank is returned to thesame needle section. When knitting inaccordance with the multi-yam or ringless system, a different threadnaturally is used in-the first course of the foot than that in the lastcourse of the leg portion, since thethread is always changed insuccessive courses in accordance with this system. In each 5 case, theleast possible contrast is produced at the linebetween the leg and footportion at the instep so far as'the effect of the thread is concernedbecause the thread in the first course of the foot portion is alwaysfrom the same as it would be if the blank had not been transferred. Ineach case, also, the effect of the needles on the junction between thetwo portions. of the blank is substantially eliminated at the top of thefoot in the finished stocking, because 15 the loops are replaced uponthe same needles on which they were originally formed andthe only thingtending to form a line at this point is the effect of the points in thetopping machine and in the transfer bar. Further, I find that the 20line between the spread heel tabs and the footportion of the blank isvery slightly noticeable after finishing because the tabs and the footportion have, been knittedon the same needle section. My invention notonly minimizes the line between the leg and foot portions of stockingblanks; but also reduces the investment needed for starting up a shop inthat only one type of I machine need be installed.

The novel features of the invention are pointed so out in the appendedclaims while other objects and advantages thereof will be in partobvious and in part pointed out in the following description of twoforms of apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings and adaptedto operate in accordance with my invention.

In the drawings:

.Figure 1 is an elevation on areduced scale of one form of a combinedlegger and footer machine for carrying out my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the machine shown inFig. 1, enlarged rela tive thereto;

- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectionalview takenon the line 3-3 ofFig. 2; g

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing g the parts in differentrelative position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of j Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the finished legportion of the stocking bla'nk' as it appears justbefore removing fromthe 3 needles;v 1 Fig. 7 'is a view showing a portion of the'toppingmachine having the blank of Fig. 6 transspool 10 Fig. 8 is a viewsimilar to Fig. '7 showing the loops of the blank after they have beenpushed over onto the points of the transfer bar;

Fig. 9 is a view of a plank on the transfer bar when the latter has beenarranged to transfer the loops of the blank back to the needles;

Fig. 10 is a view of the blank after it has been restored to the needleson the section on which it was knitted and the draw-off hooks appliedthereto for the purpose of continuing knitting;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the completed blank shown in Figs. 610,inclusive, after the foot portion thereof has been completed and beforeremoval from the needles;

Fig. 12 is a plan View of the stocking blank of a' full fashionedstocking produced in accordance with one form of my invention;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a full fashioned stocking produced fromthe blank of Fig. 12; v

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a-foot portion of another form of fullfashioned stocking blank produced in accordance with another form of myinvention;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary chine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the linel6--i6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the linel'l-l'l of Fig. 1;

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line l8-l8 of Fig.1'7;

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 18, but showing the parts in differentpositions;

Fig. 20 is an elevational view of another form of a combined legger andfooter machine in accordance with my invention and adapted to knit thediamond point toe;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the narrowinghead shown in Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken on the line 22-42 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 22 but showing the parts in differentrelative positions;

, Fig. 24 is a detail view of a portion of Fig. 21, the parts beingshown in a different relative position; 4

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken on the line 25-25 of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 25 but showing the parts in differentrelative positions; and

Fig. 27 is asectional view taken on the line 21-21 of Fig. 21.

The drawings illustrate only those members of a Reading full fashionedstocking knitting machine necessary for an understanding of theinvention. Other parts and mechanisms, and the operations thereof, arewell known, as set forth in the Reading" Full Fashioned Knitting Maendview of the machine Catalogues, copyright 1920, 1929 and 1935,-

and published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, andin a booklet entitled Knitting Machine Lectures, published in 1935 bythe Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1-5, inclusive. of the drawings, I haveillustrated therein portions of a Reading full-fashioned legger machinemodified as required by the present method and adapted to perform alsothe narrowing operations required for fashioning the foot of thestocking. The knitting machine shown in Fig. 1 is indicated generally atI and comprises, as

usual, a cam shaft 50, a needle operating shaft 40, a pattern chain 30,a plurality of needle sections 2, 2, and a lock stitch or lace bar 3with lace points therein above each needle section 2. As usual also, thelock stitch bars 3 have only one lace point for each two needles in theneedle section 2. The lock stitch bars 3 are used in mak ing the widelyused picot edge P of the welt, Fig. 13, as well as for other purposesand are almost universally employed on legger machines, but are notgenerally employed on footer machines. The lock stitch bars 3 are fixedby arms 4, 4 to a pivoted shaft 5 whereby the bars 3 may be swung upfrom the working position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to a rest positionshown in Fig. 4 and in which the transfer points in bars'3 contact arest bar 6. Both shaft 5 and rest bar 6 are supported by bracket arms laand lflb from the top or front narrowing shaft I0.

The needle bar sections 2 each contain enough needles for knitting thewelts of the stocking blanks, the machine thus having more needles perneedle section than the ordinary footer machine. It also has the lockstitch bars 3 above the needle bars 2 in accordance with the ordinarypractice for legger machines. At opposite ends of each of the lockstitch bars 3 are narrowin combs I and 1a, containing as many points asare ordinarily supplied for the narrowing combs of footers, thesenarrowing combs having therefore more points than those employed in theusual legger machines. The combs I, 1a are shown in Figs. 1 and '2 intheir inactive position in which the combs for a given knitting fieldare positioned close alongside the lock stitch bar used with the needlesection with which the given combs also cooperate, although, of course,at a different time. When the combs descend to take off loops from theneedle section they then occupy temporarily positions at the ends 'ofthe needlesection. The lock stitch bars being of substantially the samelength as the needle sections, the combs, when in use, must pass intothe space occupied by the points on the lock stitch bar when in use, sothat the lock stitch bar the narrowing combs become active and a meansmust be employed to hold the lock stitch bar in either the active or therest position as desired. Such means must not interfere with the narrowing combs and, owing to the use of lace bars and wide combs in machineI, the ordinary holding means for the lace bar would interfere wlth thecombs. I have therefore employed a holding means for the lace barindicated generally at 8 which avoids any interference. The holdingmeans 8 includes a long bracket arm 3 fixed to the longitudinal frontnarrowing shaft in and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom asbest shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Pivoted to upper end ll of bracket 9 is arod I2 the lower end of which is reduced as shown at Ma, Fig. 3, andtelescoped into a bore |3a in the end of a rod I 3 which is pivoted at Hto a collar 15 on the shaft 8 of the lace bar. Surrounding the rods l2and I3 is a throw over spring l6 which abuts at its ends against collarsl1, 11, one on rod l2 and one on rod l3. When the lace bar 3 is in theactive position, the pivot point H is in front of shaft 5 andsubstantially on the horizontal line through the center of shaft 5. Thespring l6 therefore then holds the lace bar in the active position inwhich the points hang straight down as shown in Fig. 3. When the lacebar 3 is in the rest position, the pivot point I4 is at the rear of theshaft 5 and substantially on the horizontal line through the center ofshaft 5. The spring l6, therefore, then holds the lace bar in the restposition as shown in Fig. 4. A handle I8 is provided which is fixed onshaft 5 by collar Mia and by the use of which shaft 5 may be thrown overto carry the lace bar 3 from active to rest position. Also on the shaft5 is an arm l9, whichis fixed on the shaft by collar I91; and whichrests against a plate 20 when the lace bar 3 is in the active positionto aline the points on the lace bar properly with the needles. Plate 20is fixed to the front of a lug 2| which depends from a collar 2|a on theupper shaft H] of the narrowing mechanism and which has grooves thereincovered by plate 20 and in which the narrowing rods 22 and 23 work backand forth.

The time the lock stitch bar is operated is determined by the patternchain 30. Prior to its actual operation, however, the operator bringsthe bar 3 down into active position as shown in Figure -2 and the usualloose course mechanism is operated so that the loops will be largeenough to accommodate readily both the lace points and the needles.Also, the operator moves the narrowing combs out of the knitting field.The pattern chain 30 and its usual associated mechanism then shifts thecam shaft 50 to bring into action the cam (not shown) for the narrowingmotion. The narrowing motion cam thereupon, gives the shaft I0, alongwith bars 5 and 6, first a down and then an up motion, thereby strippingalternate loops from the needles to the points on bars 3. The lockstitch cam thereupon comes into play and forces a slide (not shown)between the two halves of lock stitch bar 5 to move them longitudinallyin opposite directions against the pressure of coil springs (not shown)which tend to hold them in the positions shown. The slide moves bars 3longitudinally the distance of one needle. While the halves of shaft 5are held apart bythe slide,the narrowing cam again moves the shaft I0and bars 3 down to deposit the loops from the lace points onto theneedles, thereby arranging two loops on alternate needles and leavingalternate needles bare as the points move upwardly again to a positionabove the needles. The slide thereupon releases the longitudinalpressure on the halves of the lock stitch bar and the springs on saidhalves throw the bars 3 back to their original position. After the lockstitch bar has finished its work, it isthrown up to rest position, andthe combs I, Ia are then free to be used. The times at which the combsI, Ia are brought into play is also determined by the pattern chain 30.When it is necessary to narrow the stocking blank, the chain. 30 causescam shaft 50 to be shifted to bring into play notonly the narrowingmotion cam, but also cam 5| on shaft 50 whereby means is brought intoopera- I I and Ia respectively which act on the opposite selvedges ofthe fabric, combs I and la being fixed to the rods 22 and 23 by setscrews 24, 24. Preliminary to the narrowing operation, the combs I, Iaare moved so that they overlap the selvedge edges of the fabric. This isaccomplished by turning spindle 32 on head 3| by the handle 32c tothereby adjust the rods 22 and 23 longitudinally to the desiredpositions. In the narrowing operation, the lace bar 3 being in restposition, the shaft l0, descends and carries the combs 1 and Ia downwardfrom the position of Figs. 1

and 2 so that'the points on the combs engage the loops on the groups ofneedles extending from the selvedge edge inwardly a predetermined-numberof needles. Theshaft l0 then moves upwardly to carry the combs to theposition in which the loops are transferred thereby stripping the outergroups of loops from the needles. The combs I and Ia are then movedtoward each other the distance of several needles by the rods 22 and 23and moved downwardly by the shaft l0 to re-engage the narrowing pointswith the needles. The sinkers (not shown) having been advanced as usualto hold the loops down on the needles, the shaft l0 then raises thecombs, leaving the transferred loops on the needles, to a position forthe start-of the next narrowing operation. The horizontal travel of thenarrowing rods 22 and 23 is controlled in a known manner by the patternchain 30 which controls in turn, and also in known manner, the mechanismof the narrowing head 3|. The narrowing head 3| is a known mechanism,and is shown as having a narrowing spindle 32 provided with right andleft threaded sections 32aand 32b which carry nuts 33a and 33b, themotion of which is transmitted respectively to the narrowing rods 22 and23 by stops 34a and 34!) on the nuts 33a and 33b and abutment screws 35aand 35b on the rods so that by turning the spindle 32 the combs I and 1aare moved. in opposite directions as desired.

Springs (not shown) maintain the abutment ends of screws 35a and 35bagainst stops 34a and 34b,

.respectively. The up and down motions of shaft combs I and Ia havemoved down and then returned to the transferring position they are thenstepped toward each other a distance of two nee dles, due to the turningof spindle 32 by ratchet 36 on narrowing head 3| in response to theaction of cam 5|. The combs then are caused to descend again bythe-action of the narrowing motion cam and the loops thereby put backonto the needles. At the inner edges of. the combs, it results that twoloops are arranged on each of two needles, forming noticeable fashionmarks. Rows of such marks are to be seen in both the leg and footportions of stocking blanks and completed stockings, Figs. 12 and 13,two rows of such marks being indicated in the leg portion, Fig. 6, andin the foot portion a of the blank by lines 31, 31, Fig. 11. After theloops have been placed back onto the needles, the combs I, Ia rise againto the level shown in Fig. 1. Such narrowing action is repeatedwhenever-the proper buttons are brought into action by the pattern chain30 and as many times as necessary for the desired fashioning in thesection of the stocking being worked. The combs I, 10., usually areemployed about every fifth course in a given fashioning operation.

After the leg has been fashioned, and the heel portions 60A, 60Aknitted, the instep portion 60B knitted and ravel courses 62 addedthereto, the

instep portion 603 is then removed from the needles and the heel tabs6|, 6| knitted, and the originally inner sides of the tabs replaced onthe needles, preferably first being placed on the points 69 of a toppingmachine 10 by hand. The transfer points 12 of the transfer bar .H arethen aligned with the points 69 as shown in Fig. 7 and the loopsstripped over the points 12 by the knockover bits 13 of machine 18. Thecentral ravel courses 62 are ravelled out before the loops are placed onthe transfer bar I I, Fig. 8, and after the loops are on the transferbar H they are then transferred back to needles 2, care being taken thatthe end points of the transfer bar II are accurately alined with the endneedles sothat the individual loops of the instep are placed on the sameneedles in group 2 on which they were originally knitted, Fig. 9. Thisis readily accomplishd due to the fact that there are as many points 12in bar H as needles 2 in each needle section and, by alining the endpoints carefully with the end needles, the loops are returned to theproper needles. The removal and replacement of the leg blank from and tothe knitting needles may be done also by hand without resorting to atopping machine or to a transfer bar, although at the expense of greatertime and care.

Hooks 14 are then placed in the blank 89 as shown in Fig. 10, andconnected to the draw-off means and the knitting continued to producethe foot portion 680. of the blank as shown in Fig. 11, the narrowingcombs being again utilized to fashion the foot.

In narrowing the leg and foot portions of a full fashioned stockingblank, Fig. 12, the narrowing points are generally manipulated toproduce rows of narrowing marks parallel to the selvedge edge, as forinstance are found in the knee, lower leg areas of the leg 60, the sole,and the lower portion of the toe area of the foot blank. These parallelrows of narrowing marks are produced,

1 in this instance, by moving the narrowing points inwardly a distanceof two needles and from that position starting the next succeedingnarrowing movement. In the heel tab areas of the leg and the upperportion of the diamond point toe areas of the foot blank, the points aremanipulated to produce the narrowing marks on a line inclined toward theselvedge edge. The narrowing marks in the teel tabs 6| and upper toeareas 31 are produced in this instance by moving the narrowing combs 1and la inwardly a distance of two needles, in the usual manner, andretracting the points a distance of one needle before the loops arepicked up by the narrowing points in the next succeeding narrowingmovement.

To move the narrowing combs 'l and To to produce the narrowing marksparallel to the selvedge edge, the ratchet wheel 36, Fig. 15, secured tothe narrowing spindle 32 is moved in a clockwise direction by a forwardracking pawl 4| in response to the operation of the narrowing headactuating cam 5| on the cam shaft 50.

To produce the narrowing marks which are on a line inclined toward theselvedge edge, a second ratchet wheel 38 is also fixed to the spindle32. Wheel 38 has twice as many teeth as wheel 36 and the teeth of wheel38 point in the opposite direction around spindle 32 from those of wheel36. Wheel 38 is acted upon by a second pawl 42 which is normally held ininoperative position by a link 43, one end of which is connected to thepawl 42 by a pin 44 and the other end of which is connected to one endof a lever 45. The lever 45 is secured to a shaft 46 which is rocked tocontrol the operative or in- 46, whereas the cam 48 is rotatably mountedon the shaft 46 between collars 54 and may be moved into or out ofalinement with the abutment member 53 as desired. The cam 48 is providedwith a detent 55 having an end 55a which cooperates with a hole 56 inthe shaft 46 whenin an inoperative position shown in Fig. 18, and with ahole 51 in the shaft when in an operative position shown in Fig. 19. Thedetent 55 is biased toward the shaft 46 by a coil spring 58 (Fig. 18).The cams 41, 48 and 49 are biased toward the abutment members 52 and 53by a spring 59, one end of which is anchored to a bracket 15 fixed tothe machine frame and the other end of which is anchored by the pin 44fixed to the pawl 42, spring 59 serving therefore also to throw pawl 42into operative position when permitted by the earns 41, 48 and 49. A setscrew 15A is mounted in a boss 15B on bracket 15 and arranged so it canbe set to hold pawl 42 from approaching more than a certain distancefrom ratchet 38. Pawl 42 is thereby prevented from utilizing its fullstroke in turning ratchet 38, missing the first tooth on its down strokeand racking 38 only one tooth per stroke.

During production of the knee and calf narrowings in the leg portion ofthe stocking blank the cam 47 is in engagement with the abutment members52 and 53 during which the shaft 46 is so positioned as to hold the pawl42 out of engagement with the ratchet 38. Also at this time the cam 48is in the inoperative position of Fig. 18. As the last narrowingmovement in the lower leg area of the stocking is completed, theabutment member 52, which has been moved axially of the shaft 46 to theright, as viewed in Fig. 1, moves out of engagement with the cam 4'! andshaft 46 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction by the spring '59,thereby moving the pawl 42 into engagement with the ratchet 38. Whilethe heel tabs are being narrowed, the spindle 32 is intermittentlyactuated by the pawls 4| and 42 in the manner necesary to first move thepoint combs 1 and la through a usual narrowing movement and then toretract the point combs a one-needle distance in successive order. Afterthe heel tabs are completed, to prepare the machine to produce the solenarrowings in the foot portion of the stocking blank, the pawl 42 isagain moved to an inoperative position by moving the cam 48 from itsposition in Fig. 18 to the position of Fig. 19, in which it engages theabutment member 53. As the last sole narrowing is completed the abutmentmember 53 will ride off the edge of the cam 48, whereupon the spring 59draws the pawl 42 into engagement with the ratchet 38. The pawl 42 willremain in engagement with the ratchet 38 all through the production ofthe narrowings in the upper part of the toe area. As the last of thesenarrowings is completed the abutment member 53 will engage the cam 49,moving the pawl 42 to an in- ,operative position, atwhich time thenarrowings in the lower part of the toe area are completed.

- toe.

The form of apparatus illustrated in Figs. 20 to 27 inclusive differsfrom that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 13 and 15 to 19 inclusive in that itis equipped to make the customary diamond point The lock stitch bar 3and its action, the throw over spring l6 and its action, theaction ofthe narrowing motion cam, the pattern chain and its action, and the camshaft 50 and cam 5| are all substantially the same in the two forms ,ofmachines. An additional cam 63 is necessary on the cam shaft 58 foroperating a covering knife mechanism which is used in the finaloperation of forming the diamond point in the toe of the stocking Thelock stitch shaft 5a of Fig. 20 has a throw over and holding spring I6which is, however, placed at the end of the shaft instead ofintermediate its ends. The shaft 5a also has fixed thereon an arm 64-which is inclined somewhat axially of shaft 5a so that its free end liesin the same plane transverse to shaft 5a as a plate 85 which is fixed tothe frame of the machine and has a vertical face arranged to becontacted by the arm 64 at both the active and inactive positions of thelock stitch bar 3 to hold the lock stitch bar in the desired positions.

Thenarrowing combs of the machine shown in Fig. 20 are in separablesections, lb and 1c respectively, at the left end of the lock stitch bar3 and sections 11b and l'lc'respectively at the right hand end of bar 3.Sections lb and "b are longer than sections 10 and 110. Each sectionfurther is fixed to its own narrowing rod so that there are fournarrowing rods. As shown, comb lb in each knitting section is fixed tobar 22a, comb 1c is fixed to a bar 22b, comb 11b is fixed to bar 23a,and bar 11c is fixed to bar 2317. However, when fashioning the legportion of the blank, the combs lb and 1c are used as a unit and thecombs 11b and 'l'lc are used as a unit. Narrowing head 3|a therefore isprovided with means best shown in Figs. 21, 22, 23, and 24 whereby thefour bars may be tied together in pairs to hold the combs 1bin contactwith combs 1c and combs 11b in contact with combs 11c as shown in Fig.20 to move simultaneously in the relative position shown. For thispurpose, two similar latches 88 and 8| are provided, one of which isillustrated in detail in Figs. 24, 25 and 26. Latch 80 comprises a case82 fastened by screws 82a,

- 82a to the front face of 'bar 2222 of the pair. Case 82 has a centralvertical bore 83 therethrough in socket 86 are flared outwardly andupwardly in the direction of the length of bar 22a to facilifate theentrance of the lower end of bolt 84 into socket 86 and the lower end ofthe bolt is bevelled at 84b complementally to the inclination of socket85, and the two surfaces Wedge together as shown in Fig. 24 so that thebars 22a and 2212 are held with combs lb and 7c pressed close togetherand in position to act as a unit whenever the bolt 84 is in its lowerposition. When the bolt 84 is down, the handle 840 at the upper end ofbolt 84 extends forwardly at right angles to the plane of the narrowingbars 22a, 22b, 23a

and 23b and lies in a notch 88 in the upper edge of case 88 so that thehandle and bolt are held against turning. In such position of the parts,combs'lb and 1c on the one end and. combs 11b and "c on the other end ofeach needle section, act as units, producing the same single linefashion marks as produced by the allochiral combs I and 1a of Fig. 1.The diamond point toe, however, has two rows of fashion marks on eachside of the foot portion of the stocking blank and, in producing sucheifect, it is necessary to release bar 22a from bar 22b and bar 23a frombar 231). When it is desired to release bar 220. from 22b, handle 840 israised to lift it out of notch 88 and turned parallel to bar 22a as inFig. 21. The lower end of bolt 84 is thereby raised from socket 88 andbar 22a is free to move relatively to bar 22b. The narrowing bars 230.and 23b are also disconnected by the operator in the same way at thesame time, by lifting and turning the handle of latch 8|. The case 82has fingers 89, 88 thereon which extend inwardly from the lower end ofthe case beneath member 81 to assist in maintaining bars 220. and 22b inproper relative position by resisting the thrust of spring 85.

It is necessary, however, when bars 22a and 23a are disconnected frombars 221) and 2317 respectively that means be provided to prevent themovement of one bar from moving the other. For this purpose, a detentstructure is provided to prevent bars 22b and 23b from movingaccidentally. Detent 98 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 22, 23 and 2'7and comprises a block 9| having a base portion 9| a fixed by screws 9|bto an arm 82 depending from a collar 92a which surrounds narrowing shaftI8 and is fixed thereto by set screw 92b. Within block 9| and mounted tomove therein at right angles to bars 22b and 23b are two plungers 93,83, the sharpened inner ends 93a of which are arranged to engage in V-shaped notches 94 in auxiliary bars 95, fixed to narrowing bars 22b and23b by screws 86, 86 or other suitable means. The bottoms of notches 84are spaced just one needle distance apart. A bridge piece 91 has roundedlaterally projecting knobs 81a, 91a which seat in complemental recessesin the outer ends of plungers 93. Bridge 91 is connected at its centerto a tension spring 88, the-other endof which is fixed to block 8| at 89so that the spring 98 continuously urges the plungers 83 toward the bars95. Therefore, when plungers83are not restrained, they hold bars 22b and23?) against accidental movement, but yield to permit the bars to moveunder the positive action of the threads on spindle 32. In order todisable the plungers 83 when bars 22a and 22b and also bars 23a and 23bare locked together, plungers 93 have short handle rods I88,

Hill passed therethrough parallel to bars 221? and 23b and having atight' fit with plungers 93 whereby the plungers may be withdrawn fromcontact with notches 94. Block 8| has apertures I 00a therein throughwhich rods I88 pass and which-are large enough to permit the necessarymovements of the rods Hill on plungers 93. In the arrangement shown, theplungers 83 are both drawn away from notches 94 and held away therefromwhen desired by cam bar |8| having a handle |8|a at its upper end andlying trans- 7 versely to the narrowing bars. Cam bar |8| has two camsurfaces llllb, l8 lb so placed that when the bar |8| is pushed downinto the position shown in Fig. 23, the plungers 83 are forced outwardlyaway from notches 84 by the actionof cams IOIb on rods I00. When bar INis drawn up by handle IOIa, rods I00 are free to move into recesses inthe edge of bar I I'll just below the cam surfaces IOIb and the spring98 therefore throws the plungers 93 into notches 94 on the bars 95. BarIOI is held in place against one face of block or case 9| by a heavyT-shaped plate I02 which is recessed to receive bar IOI as best shown inFig. 27 and which is held against block by screws I02a. Movements of barIOI in the up and down direction are limited by pins 20I, 20I arrangedto strike one on block 9| and the other on plate I02. Further, a screw205 is carried in plate I02 and arranged transversely to bar IOI. Screw205 carries a spring (not shown) which presses against a ball detent(not shown) arranged to press against and engage depressions in bar IOIto prevent accidental movement thereof.

After the narrowing bars of the two pairs have been unlatched by raisingmembers 84 in looks 80 and BI and bars 22b and 23b frictionally engagedwith shaft I0 by contacting plungers 93 with the notched bars 95, meansare required to move rods 22b and 23b relatively to the others. For thispurpose, standards or stops 34c and 34d on the narrowing nuts 33c and33d carry bar-like stepping cams I05a and I05b which lie partly ingrooves I08 in the stops and are carried at the ends of screws I 05, I06which extend through the stops 34c and 34 The holes for screws I06 arecountersunk to receive springs I01 which thrust at one end againstshoulders at the bottoms of the countersunk portions of the screw holesand, at their other ends, against the heads of the screws I06, and whichpull bars mm and I05?) toward the bottoms of grooves I08. Betweenstepping cams I05a and I05!) and the bottoms of grooves I08 arepositioning cams I09 which have are also straight on their oppositeedges except for recesses H2. On their edges facing bars I09, thestepping cam bars I05! and [0517 have projections H3 and H4 at theirupper and lower ends respectively, which are so arranged that, whenhandle H0 is pulled up, projection II3 slips into recess H2 andprojection II4 overlies the lower end of bar I09. When, however, asshown in Fig. 21, bar I09 is pushed down so that its lower end isagainst the lower end'of slot I08, the stepping cam is pushed to theleft or right by inclined surfaces on bars I09 lying at their extremelower ends and at the upper ends of recesses H2 and complemental tosurfaces on the stepping cam bars I05a and I 05b lying on the uppersides of projections I I3 and I I4 so that projections H3 and H4 lieagainst the straight edges of bars I09 thereby setting out the cams I05aand H152) to contact adjustable abutment screws H50. and H5?) on thenarrowing rods 23b and 22b, respectively, moving narrowing rods 22b and23b a distance equal to one needle, relative to the narrowing rods 22aand 23a, respectively. The narrowing operations in the upper part of thediamond point toe area may then be proceeded with in a manner heretoforeset forth, in which the narrowing nuts 34c and 34d are moved inwardly adistance of two needles and retracted a distance of one needle beforethe narrowing nuts are moved in the next succeeding narrowing movement.

Forward and backward movements of the narrowing nuts 34c and 3403 arecontrolled by the forward racking pawl H and the backward racking pawl42. Positioning of the pawl 42., relative to its associated ratchet 38is effected as'heretofore set forth, by the shaft 46, which is actuatedby cooperation of the abutment members 52 and 53 with cams 41, 48 and49.

The adjustable abutment screws II 5a and I I5!) on narrowing bars 23band 22?) respectively, are spaced, as shown in Fig. 21 away from and atno time contact the stops 34c and 34d even when the edges of combsJb and1c are in contact, and the edges of combs 11b and are in contact.Therefore, after the pairs of combs have been set to overlap theselvedge edges, handles 84c and mm being in the up positions and handleI I0 being in the down position; when the narrowing nuts 34c and 34d areretracted, the cams l05a and M52) are also retracted so that in thefinal upward movement of the narrowing rods in each narrowing operation,the heads of screws II 5a and II5b will be aligned with the upper partsof cams I05a and I051), respectively, and therefore will not effect amovement of the narrowing rods23b and 22b relative to the rods 22a and2311.

With the combs I0 and He spaced a one needle distance from the combs Iband 11b respectively, a loop is left on the needle intermediate thoselifted by the combs 1c and I'lc when the following downward and upwardmotions of the shaft I0 carry the combs down and up. Consequently, whenthe spindle 32 is turned by the action of pawl 4| on ratchet 36 fixed tothe spindle, to move the narrowing bars 22a and 23a inwardly two-needledistances with respect to the needle sections and then again down andup, the needle on which the loop was left between the separable combsections has another loop deposited thereon, forming a fashion mark. Thesame thing occurs, of course, at the inner ends of the shorter combsections 10 and 110. The movement of bars 22a and 23a through twoneedledistances, of course, moves the bars 222) and 23b only one-needledistance because of the initial space between them. The combs havingbeen returned to their original level, the spindle 32 then is turnedbackward, by the action of pawl 42 on the ratchet 38 also fixed to thespindle, to move the longer comb sections lb and 111) back one-needledistance so that a distance of one-needle space remains between theadjacent needles of the combs of each pair. The same motions of thecombs being repeated, a double row of fashion marks I6 is made by eachpair of combs, spaced apart a number of loops equal to the points on theshorter combs. The rows of fashion marks made by each pair of combs areparallel, but step inwardly from the original line of the selvedge edgeonly one-needle distance at each narrowing operation, while the selvedgeedge itself moves inwardly twoneedle. distances at each narrowingoperation. The rows of fashion marks and selvedge edges are thereforenot parallel but approach each other.

The knitting having proceeded to a point near the toe end of the blankand it being then desirable to bring together into points the doublerows of fashion marks, one on each side of the blank portion 60a, theoperation of the spindle 92 is changed automatically when the abutmenting step. The narrowing combs 1c and 110 remain, however, separated fromthe combs lb and 11b by a one needle distance, at the time of theinitial dippingmovement of the combs in each narrowing operation, by theaction of the bar shaped stepping cams 105a and 1%. After the combsperform the transferring portion of the narrowing operation, thenarrowing nuts 34c and 34d remain at the transferred position, so thatin rising to the position occupied by the combs for the next succeedingnarrowing operation, the screws H511 and 5b on the rods 23b and 22b,ride up an inclined surface I050 of the cams 15a and l05b, respectively,thereby moving the combs 1c and Tie a distance of one needle away fromthe combs lb and 11b. The formation of a double row of fashion marks oneach side of the blank is, therefore, continued, but the inclination ofthe outer row of fashion marks to the center line of the blank ischanged sharply so that it is parallelto the selvedge edge.

The same shift of cam shaft 50 causing the change in action of thespindle 32 also throws into action the cam 63 controlling operation, ofthe shaft 66 for the covering knives or plates 61, one of which liescentrally of each knitting or needle section 2. Lowering of the coveringknives 61 into active position is effected in the usual manner, afterwhich the covering knives are moved into a position between the pontsand needles prior to the initial dipping movement of the narrowing combsin each narrowing operation to prevent the removal of loops from theneedles in the covering knife zone. The coverknives, however, after theinitial d pping action, move out of engagement with the needles andpoints, so as not to interfere with the loop transferring portion of thenarrowing operation. Therefore, in preventing the engagement of certainpoints by means of the covering knives the inner line of narrowing markswill form vertical lines and with the wide combs 1b and 11b movinginwardly a distance of two needles the two lines of narrowing marksproduced by the combs 1b, 1c and 11b, 110 will approach each other toform sharp angles or diamond points 18, one on each side of the footportion of the blank. After the narrowing operations are completed inthe diamond point toe area, a ravel course 600 is produced to completethe foot portion of the stocking blank, Fig. 14.

Although several forms of apparatusfor carrying out my invention havebeen shown and described, changes may obviously be effected there- ,inwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as setforth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of making a flat blank for a "full-fashioned stockingcomprising knitting on a needle bar section a leg portion, an instepportion and heel portions for said blank with narrowings arranged toproduce fashioning of the stocking,

- edge of said instep portion and those along the full-fashionedstocking comprising knitting on a needle bar section, a leg portion, aninstep portion and heel portions for said blank with narrowings arrangedto produce fashioning of the stocking, knitting ravel courses on saidinstep portion, removing said instep portion from the needles andentirely from all connection with said bar section except through saidheel portions, knitting heel tabs on said heel portions, removing saidtabs from said section, spreading said tabs by hand, placing the loopsalong the lower edge of said instep portion and those along the inneredges of the tabs on points in a bar, trans-, ferring the loops on saidpoints back to said needles so that each of the loops of said instepportion is replaced on the needle on which it was formed" and knitting afoot portion for said blank on said section.

3. In the method of making full-fashioned stockings," the stepscomprising knitting a flat blank for a stocking having a leg portion,and instep portion and heel portions thereon on a certain group ofneedles of a flat knitting machine, knitting ravel courses on saidinstep portion, removing the instep portion of the blank from theneedles, knitting heel tabs for said heel portions on sections of saidgroup and entirely from all connection with said bar section exceptthrough said heel portions, removing said tabs 0 from the needles,spreading said tabs apart by hand, and placing the edges thereof whichwere the inner parallel ones in alinement with the lower edge of saidinstep portion on the points of a transfer bar, transferring said edgesback to said group of needles and knitting a foot portion onto saidblank.

4. The method of making a flat blank for a full fashioned stockingcomprising knitting on a needle bar section a leg portion, an instepportion and heel portions for said blank with narrowings arranged toproduce fashioning of the stocking, knitting ravel courses on saidinstep portion, removing the instep portion of the blank fromtheneedles, knitting heel tabs on said heel portions, removing said tabsfrom said section and entirely from all connection with said bar sectionexcept through said heel portions, spreading said tabs by ,hand, placingtheloops along the lower edge of said instep portion and those along theinner edges of the tabs on the points of a point bar, transferring saidloops back to the needles of said section, and knitting a foot portionfor said blank on said section while operating in a way to produce adiamond point toe.

' 5. The method of making a flat blank for a full fashioned stockingcomprising knitting on a needle bar section a leg portion, an instepportion, and heel portions with narrowings arranged toproduce fashioningof the stocking, knitting ravel courses on said instep portion, removingsaid instep portion from the needles, knitting tabs on said heelportions, removing said tabs from the needles of said section andentirely from all connection with said bar section except through saidheel portions, spreading said tabs by hand, placing the loops along thelower end of said instep portion and those along the inner edges of thetabs on the points of a point bar, transferring said loops back to theneedles of said section, connecting draw-off hooks to said tabs and tothe lower part of said instep portion, and continuing knitting to form afoot portion on the blank.

6. The method of making a flat blank for a stocking comprising knittingon a needle bar section a leg portion, an instep portion, knitting ravelcourses on said instep portion, and heel portions, removing said instepportion from said section and entirely from all connection with said barsection except through said heel portions, knitting tabs on said heelportions, spreading said tabs by hand, placing the loops along the lowerend of of said instep portion and those along the inner edges of thetabs on the points of a topping bar, shifting said loops from saidpoints to the points of a transfer bar, transferring said loops back tothe needles of said section so that the loops at the lower end of theinstep portion are replaced on the same needles on which they wereformed, and knitting a foot portion for said blank on said section.

7. The method of making a flat blank for a full fashionedstockingcomprislng knitting on a needle bar section a leg portion, aninstep portion and heel portions with narrowings arranged .to

produce fashioning of the leg of the stocking,

knitting ravel courses on said instep portion, removing said instepportion from said section and entirely from all connection with said barsection except through said heel portions, knitting tabs on said heelportions, removing said tabs from 'said section and spreading them byhand, placing the loops along the lower end of said instep portion andthose along the inner edges of the tabs on the points of a topping bar,shifting saidloops on said points to the points of a transfer bar,transferring said loops back to the needles of said section so thatloops at the lower edge of said instep portion are replaced on the sameneedles on which they were formed, and knitting a foot portion for saidblank on said section while "narrowing to fashion the foot portion.

8. The method of making a flat blank for a stocking comprising knittingon a needle bar section a leg portion, an instep portion and heelportions, knitting ravel courses on said instep portion, removing saidinstep portion from the needles and entirely from-all connection withsaid bar section except through said heel portions, knitting heel tabson said heel portions, removing said tabs from said section andspreading said tabs by hand, placing the loops along the lower end ofsaid instep portion and those along the inner edges of said tabs on thepoints of a topping bar, shifting said loops from said points to thepoints of.a transfer bar, transferring said loops back to the needles ofsaid section so that the loops along the lower end of said instepportion are replaced on thesame needles on which they were formed,connecting draw-off hooks to said tabs and to the lower part of said legportion,

and continuing knitting to form a foot portion for said blank.

9. The method of making a flat blank for a stocking comprising knittingon a needle bar sectransfer bar, transferring said loops back to theneedles of said section so that the loops along the lower end of saidinstep portion are replaced on the same needles on which they wereformed, and knitting a foot portion for said blank on said section whilenarrowing with narrowing combs and covering the needles under certainpoints of the narrowing combs with covering knives in a way to produce adiamond point toe.

10. The method of making a fiat blank for a stocking comprising knittingon the needle bar section a leg portion, an instep portion and heelportions, knitting ravel courses on said instep portion, removing saidinstep portion from said section and entirely from all connection withsaid bar section except through said heel portions, knitting heel tabson said heel portions, removing said tabs from said section andspreading said tabs by hand, placing the loops along the lower end ofsaid instep portion and those along the inner edges of the tabs on thepoints of a point bar, transferring said loops back to the needles ofsaid section so that the loops along the lower end of said instepportion are replaced on the same needles on which they were formed,connecting draw-off hooks to said tabs and to the lower end of saidinstep portion, and knitting a foot portion for said blank on saidsection while narrowing and operating, in a way to produce a diamondpoint toe.

11. The method of making a flat blank for a full fashioned stockingcomprising knitting on a needle bar section a leg portion, an instepportion and heel portions, knitting ravel courses on said instepportion, with narrowings arranged to produce fashioning of the leg ofthe stocking, removing said instep portion from the needles of saidsection, knitting heel tabs on said heel portions, removing said tabsfrom said section and entirely from all connection with said bar sectionexcept through said heel portions, spreading said tabs by hand, placingthe loops along the lower end of said instep portion and those along theinner edges of the tabs on the point of a topping bar, shifting saidloops to the points of a transfer bar, transferring said loops back tothe needles of said section so that the loops at the lower end of saidinstep portion are replaced on the same needles on which they wereformed, connecting draw-off hooks to said tabs and to the lower end ofsaid portion and knitting a foot portion for said blank on said sectionwhile narrowing and operating to produce a diamond point toe.

12. The method of making a flat blank for a full fashioned stockingcomprising knitting on a needle bar section of a knitting machine, a legportion, an instep portion and heel portions for said blank withnarrowings arranged to produce fashioning of the stocking, knittingravel courses on said instep portion, removing said instep portion fromthe needles of said section entirely from connection with said barsection except through said heel portions, knitting tabs on said heelportions, removing said tabs from the needles to entirely disconnect theblank from the machine, spreading said tabs, placing the loops along thelower edge of said instep portion and those along the edges of the tabsback on the needles in such a way that the loops of said instep portionare replaced each on the same needle on which it was formed, andknitting the foot portion of the blank.

GO'I'ILOB BITZER.

